Like a Rolling Stone: A Memoir

Rolling Stone founder, co-editor, and publisher Jann Wenner offers a once-in-a-generation memoir from the beating heart of classic rock and roll.Jann Wenner has been called by his peers “the greatest editor of his generation.”His deeply personal memoir vividly describes and brings you inside the music, the politics, and the lifestyle of a generation, an epoch of cultural change that swept America and beyond. The age of rock and roll in an era of consequence, what will be considered one of the great watersheds in modern history. Wenner writes with the clarity of a journalist and an essayist. He takes us into the life and work of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Bono, and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few. He was instrumental in the careers of Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe, and Annie Leibovitz. His journey took him to the Oval Office with his legendary interviews with Bill Clinton and Barak Obama, leaders to whom Rolling Stone gave its historic, full-throated backing. From Jerry Garcia to the Dalai Lama, Aretha Franklin to Greta Thunberg, the people Wenner chose to be seen and heard in the pages of Rolling Stone tried to change American culture, values, and morality.Like a Rolling Stone is a beautifully written portrait of one man’s life, and the life of his generation.

I am not an avid reader churning out a book a week but read enough and mostly read books about music to say Jann Wenner's memoir was by far my favorite book of 2022. Growing up in the 80's I loved Rolling Stone magazine, but at the time I only focused on articles that were an interest to me - reading Jann's book I wish I had read every issue from cover to cover. Each chapter is written with the concise focus of a journalist and editor - stories are told with enough detail to learn something but are not over-written to come off as indulgent. I loved every page from start to finish.

I was a long time and really enjoyed reading this book nice to have a rock memoir by an actual writer. All the juicy bits about mick Keith, John, Paul; Bruce; Bob; & Gerry are here you will be quite satisfied with the investment of your time

Jann Wenner takes the reader inside a world known only to the elite few ( and I say this with great admiration). Through his struggles with identity while possessing an generational mind, you will find a visionary taking you on a journey around the world of glitterati and Rock & Roll. Thoughtful, honest and never without the yearning for the next paragraph.Thank you, Jann, for sharing a world I could only have dreamed of, and for working to make the world a place in which I truly want to exist. Let’s hope humanity comes to its senses sooner rather than later to assure that outcome.

Jann Wenner...Narcissism: selfishness, involving a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a need for admiration. That sums up Jann's personality type, and the main take away from reading this book.The early days of Rolling Stone are fascinating, because the music that it covered was phenomenal, and transformed a generation - a unique stitch in time!But those days did not last forever, and Jann has no real second act in Rock & Roll to report on. So Wenner writes about Bruce, Bono and others that kissed his ass, and vice versa. And his privileged life, going corporate, missing his corporate jet, and sex life.Boring...it ain't no substitute for the early days for Rock & Roll and the musicians that gave it life - sometimes, sadly, literally. Sex, drugs, and Rock & Roll - hard to beat it - too bad, Jann didn't spend more time writing about the behind the scenes action instead of his vacations, motorcycles and self obsession with himself.

Well written memoir by the founding editor of Rolling Stone magazine. Wenner gives a brief bio of his childhood and college years, which are actually pertinent to his path as co-founder of RS, which is widely considered the de facto journal of the hippie/Rock and Roll scene.The birth, growing pains, and maturing of the magazine is nicely woven into the zeitgeist of the 60's and into the 70s, 80s, and so on. He talks about his interactions and friendships with people including Mick Jagger, the Beatles, Bob Dylan and other musicians and cultural figures (e.g., Timothy Leary) of the era. He also spends quite a few pages on his interactions with Annie Leibovitz and Hunter S. Thompson, whose careers he helped establish. His description of his first meeting with Thompson (p. 118-9) is hysterical. Later he describes his (and the magazines) maturation and move to New York from San Francisco. Along with the move came friendships with folks Like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol, Tom Wolfe.Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5, the book at times (especially in the last half) gets a little disjointed and verbose. Wenner's ego seems to take over as he talks about vacations with famous people on his private jet, a cross country motorcycle trip, and other anecdotes that really don’t have much if anything to do with the magazine, music, investigative reporting or politics. Of course if you hang around with people like Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jackie O., Bono, Mick, Richard Gere and others I guess you get to boast a bit.At 556 pages it takes some effort to get through the book but I found it worth the time.

Very revealing; an incredibly interesting life.

Loved RS mag in the 70s and 80s ,expected a far more entertaining read.

Love it. And it's a signed copy!

What can I say, I'm 70 years old and somewhat of a contemporary to Jann Wnner. I had a Rolling Stone subscription at one point but, had to drop it as a poor student. Then life catches up with you, marriage, kids, etc.Jann has lived an incredible life, he actually knew personally many of the folks I consider my heroes. It is sad to see how many of them have now passed which serves as a mark for how old I'm also getting.I only wish that as a generation we had accomplished more. Looking at the world, in its current state, does not fill me with optimism of what is to come. I fear for my kids!

Not very much "meat" to it - not a lot of analysis of the relationships he forged - more like a name dropping - who I hung with for 35 years. He was certainly a loyal friend & obviously had favorites but seemed to completely miss out or ignore other great talent.

.... de ses nombreux amis : Obama, Springsteen, Bono, Mick Jagger, Ahmet Ertegun, et aussi Jackson Browne. C'est très bien écrit (la moindre des choses pour celui qui a contribué à l’éclosion du nouveau journalisme US), souvent intéressant et parfois un peu elliptique ou s'adressant à ceux qui ont croisé la route du fondateur de Rolling Stone.Reste un paradoxe majeur : Wenner, qui se dit horrifié par les conséquences du réchauffement climatique et se vante d'être l’un des hérauts de la prise de conscience de ses conséquences, raconte à longueur de pages ses déplacements dans son jet et ses constants allers et retours de l'autre côté du globe pour assister à un concert des Stones. Mais l'homme n'est pas à une contradiction près, comme me le racontait tout récemment l'un de ses derniers rédacs chefs, Will Dana...